The functional role of intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal in the stomach

J Smooth Muscle Res. 2011;47(2):47-53. doi: 10.1540/jsmr.47.47.

Abstract

Intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC-IM) are found within the smooth muscle layers of the stomach. ICC-IM are mainly spindle shaped cells with bipolar processes orientated along the long axis of surrounding smooth muscle cells. ICC-IM make close contacts with nerve varicosities and form gap junctions with neighbouring smooth muscle cells, indicating that ICC-IM mediate enteric motor neurotransmission. These morphological properties of ICC-IM are similar throughout the stomach. However, the electrical properties of these cells differ from region to region. In the fundus, ICC-IM generate spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs), resulting in an ongoing discharge of unitary potentials in the smooth muscle cells. ICC-IM in the corpus generate slow waves and as they fire at the highest frequency they serve as the dominant pacemaker cells in the stomach. On the other hand, ICC-IM in the antrum generate the secondary component of slow waves triggered by the initial component that propagates passively from myenteric ICC (ICC-MY). Thus, the different electrical properties of ICC-IM play a critical role in creating the distinct functions of the proximal and distal regions of the stomach such that the fundus acts as a reservoir of food, the corpus as a dominant pacemaker region, while the antrum acts as a region for mixing and propulsion of food.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gastric Fundus / physiology
  • Gastrointestinal Motility / physiology
  • Interstitial Cells of Cajal / physiology*
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Muscle, Smooth / innervation
  • Muscle, Smooth / physiology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / physiology
  • Pyloric Antrum / physiology
  • Stomach / innervation
  • Stomach / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit